- Smelting:The raw material is smelted in high-tech smelting plants of continuous, semi-continuous and static type. Continuous analytical checks are carried out during the smelting process by chemical laboratory personnel, in order to ensure that all production specifications are complied with. The end result takes the form of bars cut to specified lengths and diameters (billets), ready for the next stage in the process: extrusion.

- Hot extrusion:The extrusion process involves pre-heating the billets in suitable furnaces so as to ensure that they are structurally uniform. The billets are then extruded using horizontal presses of various capacities, to produce bar in rod or coil form, tube and flat stock, ready for cold working.

- Cold working (drawing/rolling):By means of this process, it is possible to reduce the dimensions and modify the metallurgical characteristics of the extruded product. The necessary operations are carried out using highly automated, high-performance drawing/rolling plants, which allow continuous monitoring of product quality. Depending on the type of production cycle selected and/or the required specifications, the drawn material may then undergo heat treatments for annealing and/or stress relieving.

After final checking, the drawn material is stored in the shipment warehouse to await delivery to the customer..

The quality of products made by Trafilerie Carlo Gnutti S.p.A. is also assured by the chemical laboratory, which services all of the production departments.

The laboratory's activity can be divided into three broad areas:

- Laboratory connected to the foundry for analysing production parameters during the production procesThe laboratory is equipped with X-ray fluorescence spectrometers, which are used to analyse all the test-pieces sent by the foundry. The system is fully automated and covers the full range of operations involved:

- sending of test-pieces
- preparation of test-pieces
- analysis
- automatic calculation of any corrections that may be necessary
- radioactive testing
- notifying the foundry in real time of any corrective action to be undertaken

The laboratory runs a continuous shift, 24 hours a day 7 days a week, and is supervised by skilled personnel who are ready to intervene at any moment, should the need arise.

- Chemical laboratoryThe chemical laboratory is equipped with an emission quantometer, an optical emission spectrometer and a range of simpler analytical instruments. It is here that analyses are carried out to check the quality of incoming raw materials and to check environmental parameters (waste water, airborne dust, etc.). Wet and electro-chemical analyses are also carried out either on a routine basis or by special request.

- Technological LaboratoryThe technological laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art tensile testing machines, durometers, microdurometers, optical microscopes and a scanning electron microscope, which are used to determine the mechanical properties of the semi-finished products, to make structural analyses of them and to analyse any defects that may be encountered.